Two moderate quakes hit eastern Taiwan within ten minutes early Saturday
A magnitude 5.0 quake followed by a 4.8 tremor struck off eastern Taiwan ten minutes apart, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
Early Saturday morning, the Central Weather Administration logged two separate seismic events off the east coast of Taiwan. The first, a magnitude 5.0 quake, struck at 4:48 a.m. with its epicenter about 31.2 km east-southeast of Hualien County Hall and a focal depth of 15.4 km. A second tremor, magnitude 4.8, followed at 4:58 a.m., located roughly 30.4 km from the same reference point and at a depth of 16.8 km.
Both shocks registered intensity level 3 in Hualien County, while Yilan County recorded intensity level 2 for the first quake and Nantou County recorded level 3 for the second. No immediate reports of injuries or property damage have emerged, and authorities are monitoring the situation.
How this was covered
- The two sides describe this in almost entirely different words
- Centrist coverage is the most divided on this story
Why it matters
The quakes highlight Taiwan's seismic risk and the need for ongoing monitoring and preparedness.
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